New assault charges filed against Delaware County cop
Three women have now told police that Chester City officer Albert Dion Ross assaulted them while on duty. His attorney said the allegations are "baseless" and that Ross has no idea why the charges have been filed.
A Chester City police officer was arrested again this week after a third woman came forward and told police she was preyed upon by him.
The officer, 47-year-old Albert Dion Ross, was charged two weeks ago with assaulting two women in two separate incidents in August 2015 and May 2017. After learning of these charges, another woman contacted police and said Ross had groped her while he was on duty, according to court documents.
Ross' attorney Enrique Latoison called all the charges against his client "baseless" and "unbelievable."
"Albert has no idea why these charges have been filed against him," Latoison said.
The latest charges stem from an incident about a year ago. The woman told police she had noticed Ross and his police car in her neighborhood several times around 6 a.m., the time she usually waters her flowers.
Since she had known Ross for years, the woman would talk briefly with him about their children and grandchildren, according to the documents.
On this particular day, the woman told police she was talking to Ross outside her home. In uniform, Ross asked the woman if he could give her a hug. After the woman reluctantly agreed, Ross approached and grabbed both her breasts, an act to which she had not consented, according to the documents.
On Thursday afternoon, Ross was arraigned and charged with stalking, indecent assault, and official oppression. He was released on $250,000 unsecured bail.
Ross also faces two counts each of indecent assault, official oppression, and harassment in relation to the previously reported assaults.
A 46-year-old woman told police that in August 2015 Ross put his fingers down her pants, kissed her, pulled down her tank top, and grabbed her breasts in an elevator at a Chester City Police Department building. Another 46-year-old woman said Ross put his flashlight down her tank top and between her breasts, saying "let me see," during a call for service at her home in May of this year.
Latoison maintained that all accusations against his client were false.
While Ross has no previous criminal record in Pennsylvania, he did face allegations at prior jobs.
Ross was fired several years ago from his job as a corrections officer at Glen Mills' George W. Hill Correctional Facility for sexual harassment and "improper conversation with a subordinate," authorities say. And while he was later employed by the Chester Housing Authority Police Department, a female resident filed a complaint that Ross kissed her without consent, according to authorities.
"The only reason [authorities] know he was fired from a previous job was because he told them," Latoison said. "My client was being forthright."
Latoison said he would not classify what occurred at George W. Hill as sexual harassment but would not elaborate. Calls made to the prison over the last two weeks had not been returned as of Friday.
Officials at the Chester County Housing Authority said Ross worked part-time there until April 23, 2013, but they would not release additional information about his tenure without a written release from Ross. They did not respond to a request for Ross' start date. Latoison said he could not comment on Ross' time at the Housing Authority.
Chester City police did not respond to multiple calls Friday requesting Ross' status with the department.
Ross awaits a preliminary hearing scheduled for Sept. 26.